Flint Mayor Dayne Walling takes notes during a financial training session with Flint City Council and a representative of the Michigan Municipal League in this Flint Journal file photo.Kristin Longley | MLive.com

FLINT, MI -- Mayor Dayne Walling says an "unprecedented level of cooperation from the public, private and community sectors" will be needed to save the cities of Detroit and Flint, according to this guest opinion in The Detroit Free Press.

Walling, who has watched emergency managers handle major decisions in Flint during parts of his two terms as mayor, said the state has a stake in the success of cities.

"I first ran for mayor because I believed that a better-managed city government with fresh ideas and new energy could be a catalyst for change," Walling wrote. "After nearly four years in office and more than a year with a state appointed manager, I see clearly that it will take an unprecedented level of cooperation from the public, private and community sectors to get the job done here in Flint -- and the same is certainly true for Detroit."